Best practice for removing alps

[thefarside]

I recently desoldered and removed clone Alps switches on a Focus FK-2001 using a pair of channel lock pliers. This worked but a couple of switches had pieces chipped off and I wondered if there was a better way. If anyone has advice or methods that might work better I’d appreciate any advice. Below is a pic for reference.

Removing from Plate and PCB.png (3.1 MiB) Viewed 4991 times

[Polecat]

I just pry them up gently, one side then the other, with a small flat blade screwdriver. I've never damaged a switch doing that, and they usually come out without a fight or even a whimper.

[thefarside]

Thanks I didn’t think of using a screwdriver. I’ll give that a try on my next project.

[Polecat]

Thanks I didn’t think of using a screwdriver. I’ll give that a try on my next project.

Sorry, I just saw that you also asked about that in the ABS M1 thread. I was "away" for a couple weeks, hoping the children would calm down a bit. I'm still not caught up. I don't have time for being accused of trolling because they have no sense of humor and because I didn't attach some inane emoji to let them know I was making a joke. Sorry for venting about it here.

The Focus clones may be a bit different to remove, because they don't have the long side tabs like genuine Alps, but I've pulled those the same way before with no issues. I did two full sets making the keyboard in that thread, and I didn't damage a single switch or pad.

[thefarside]

No worries! My next project is to desolder orange alps so that may be easier than the clones I was working with.

[Rayndalf]

These switches are much easier to remove Once the PCB has been removed.

Since you can squeeze the latches and press them out by hand. Removing from the top will always be challenging and if you're relying on clamping force instead of just squeezing the latches it'll be pretty brutal.

[Polecat]

These switches are much easier to remove Once the PCB has been removed.

Since you can squeeze the latches and press them out by hand. Removing from the top will always be challenging and if you're relying on clamping force instead of just squeezing the latches it'll be pretty brutal.

I've never done one that way, but that's a very good suggestion.

[fohat]

That looks like a pretty cruel tool for working on small plastic electronic devices.

[jsheradin]

That looks like a pretty cruel tool for working on small plastic electronic devices.

Manufacturer recommended depending on the era.

key cap replacement.jpg (97.65 KiB) Viewed 4815 times

[thefarside]

That looks like a pretty cruel tool for working on small plastic electronic devices.

The pliers weren’t my first attempt. After prying with my fingers failed I grabbed a rubber grip mat and was able to pull one side of a switch up, but the other side was really stuck in there. I tried a couple of other switches with the same result.

I then tried pliers with some scotch tape covering the teeth but there wasn’t enough grip. I then tried wrapping a rubber band around the teeth and that didn’t work either so I decided to just use the bare metal teeth. It worked but chipped off the side of the plastic retaining clips on a couple of switches.

They were really stuck in there! I wasn’t planning on keeping the switches so I wasn’t concerned about them surviving this operation - I was more concerned about the switch plate and PCB, but I did want to ask for advice before removing my orange alps.

For some reason it never occurred to me to use a flat head screwdriver. I need to remove a switch to resolder and I will definitely try that first.

I considered disconnecting the PCB from the switch plate but there’s a soldered in screw keeping them together and I thought it would be easier to keep them together for the new switches.